


Snow Halation

by Aikatsu



Category: Girl Meets World
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-22
Updated: 2016-10-22
Packaged: 2018-08-23 22:59:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,118
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8346169
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aikatsu/pseuds/Aikatsu
Summary: Some conversations only happen in the snow, with a nestbed, and hot chocolate. Some conversations will never happen as long as it makes her happy. This one is a story of the former.





	

**Author's Note:**

> It's been a while! And I wanted something fun to get back into the groove. I really love the thought of Cory and Farkle talks and wanted to play with this one. It was a lot of fun!

**“Shall I name this heart-ending pain…**

**_Snow Halation_?”**

Far too early in the morning the young man finds himself sitting on the fire escape of a familiar apartment. The sky a murky gray, plush with snowflakes. It had only been snowing since the night prior, but already there was a foot and a half of it. On his way here he’d seen more cars stuck than he’d seen in a while. New York was in for another bad winter. This wasn’t a good sign for him. Even two piping hot chocolates in his hands couldn’t warm him up against the bitter wind. He mused that they’d be icicles by the time the window open and he a nice statue for some garden party.

He gave half a laugh at the ridiculous imagery. Hunched over slightly in his laughter it takes him a moment before he realizes a window has been thrown open. The sudden jet of warm air makes him pop up hopefully. It’s the other bay window, however, and the man inside looks more perplexed then the boy feels. “Farkle?” Cory remarks, “what are you doing out here? You <i>do</i> realize the temperature out, don’t you?”

Farkle gives him a sheepish nod, glancing to the window with its still drawn curtains. “I realize sir,” he returns meekly, “I—I thought Riley might be up, she likes days like this.” The man’s brows furrow, inspecting the boy. Farkle’s cheeks flush a deep red. If he stays like this much longer he’s almost certain that he’ll become his own personal heater and melt all the snow away. “It’s five a.m.,” Cory reminds the boy dubiously—Farkle can only nod in response. There’s a brief moment of silence before Cory speaks up again, “Why don’t you come inside, Farkle? We’ll have ourselves a nice chat.”

“Do you think that is necessary, sir?” Farkle’s voice is all but a squeak, eyes wide as saucers. Cory’s eyes flicker from confusion to amusement, a smirk playing on his features. Reaching out a hand to grab the shoulder of his young student he gives him a firm nod, “Yes, Farkle, I think it’s absolutely necessary.”

“Oh,” he breathes out stumbling to his feet, the hot chocolate sloshing in its cup, “Of course, sir, whatever you say.”

“Relax, Farkle,” the man says with a laugh pulling out of his living room window to allow the boy his way to come in. Farkle practically creaks from cold limbs, earning a wince from Cory as he moves away to the couch. Immediately Cory takes to finding all the blankets in the living room and piling them on a seat. “Hmm,” he mumbles to himself, watching the snow-covered close the window, before taking off all the coats from the rack and throwing them on the pile.

“Uh--,” Farkle grapples, “sir?”

“Sit, Farkle,” Cory demands, gesturing to his newly piled, well, nest. The boy looks dubiously between proud teacher and pile before shaking his head, “I’m fine, sir, really.”

Cory’s brow arches, “That wasn’t a suggestion.”

“Yes, sir,” he mumbles quickly juggling two drinks to try and sit where Cory instructed. He’s holding two cups well above his head, trying to snuggle deep into the couch, and his teacher is still frowning at him. “Sir?” His voice is even quieter than before waiting for the lion to pounce. He was sure this day would come at some point—When Riley’s dad would suddenly realize he was a boy. And boys were not allowed to come through the window.

“Take off your clothes, too,” the man says with a nod, turning to his room. The but barely forms on the boy’s lips before Cory’s shouting, “Do it, Minkus!” Farkle gulps, wary of what he’s gotten himself into. With stiff arms he places the drinks on the table. He wavers a moment before moving to pull off the jacket and sweatshirt he’s wearing. He’s nearly peeling off the last layer when Cory’s back and throwing a wad of clothes at him.

“Wear these. They’re not wet,” the man says proudly before eyeing the drinks and snagging one up for himself, “thanks! Don’t mind if I do.”

“That’s fo—“

“Riley, I know,” the man cuts off, “but pish-posh, she’s asleep and I’m awake so it’s mine now.”

Farkle purses his lips in confusion. There’s a strange rage bubbling in his stomach at the quip as if he should be protecting Riley’s… hot chocolate? He shakes his head at the weird thought, turning instead to his job of changing out of his somewhat soggy clothing. He moves slowly, ignoring the presence of the older man humming as he devours the drink he’d brought for his friend. It’s the humming that gets him, really. Silence seemed terrifying, but humming sounded like Cory Matthews was plotting his death.

He could imagine it now: Cory with a shovel humming Jingle Bells as he banged his head like a gong.

“So,” Cory eventually starts as the boy settles into his seat, “I’m sure you’re wondering why I’ve gathered you here today.”

The boy bites his lip, “Not particularly, no, sir.”

Cory pretends to ignore the comment. Perfecting the appearance of a calculating, sophisticated man, he ‘hms’ quietly before dropping off suddenly. It’s silent a moment before warm, brown eyes capture blue and for a moment Farkle realizes someone has a stare just like this. He gulps. “When are you going to give up, Farkle?” Cory questions, sincerely.

His shoulders tense up and Farkle’s suddenly no longer relaxing. The hands that had been going to grab his cup tremble in mid-air. They grope for a cup that’s too faraway. Quickly, he pulls them back and balls his hands into the blanket. “What?” He croaks.

Cory sits up more seriously. One elbow rests on his knee as his eyes rake over the boy. He remembers when he was seven and declared he loved two girls. He remembers laughing about how a Minkus would never get a Matthews. He remembers when he’s twelve and the two girls fight over him. But it’s Minkus he turns away. He remembers almost giving her to him for his first date—A safe date where nothing could possibly go wrong. Then there was a Friar who messed everything up. Who took his sweet precious angel and made her into a terrible thing he hated to think of—a teenager.

Through it all there was this kid. The one who fought for her with poisonous spiders. Who bought stuffed animals knowing she’d lose them. The young man he’d seen grow to look out for people. And the young man he’d seen fall further in love with a girl he would only ever allow himself to watch.

He sees all of it and the years to come and his heart goes out to him. He didn’t know where these kids were going to go, but somehow Cory had found himself with sympathy for a Minkus. Go figure. He sighs at the thought but shakes it away. Right, more pressing matters at hand.

“Riley,” he continues, the boy’s frame squishing in on itself more, “she and Lucas have been dating for two years.”

“I know that,” Farkle recites.

“You and Smackle broke up,” the man states, some confusion to the statement. It wasn’t an actual breakup that he could tell. They still acted like Farkle and Smackle, but they were Farkle AND Smackle—not the Smarkle combination they had become. He still wasn’t sure how it worked, but it did.

“And?” The boy’s voice is a squeak.

“You’re okay with that,” Cory muses. Farkle nods stiffly, not looking at his teacher. “Well, I guess that solves everything then, doesn’t it?”

Farkle shoots him a confused look. He opens his mouth to speak, but Cory’s already going on. “So all we’ve got to do is get Friar out of the picture—“ “What!” “Yes, it makes absolutely perfect sense. Then you can finally confess to Riley.”

Farkle’s not sure why but it’s not fear that overwhelms him in that moment, but anger. His hands tighten into the Styrofoam cup, nails indenting the side. But he moves swiftly, too, to stand. “That’s—It’ll never happen!” His words are strangely shaking and difficult to parse, “Don’t joke about messing with Riley’s feelings like that!”

Cory takes heed that his plan worked, frowning slightly at the response. “And what about your feelings, Farkle?”

The boy only seemed to become hotter at the response. “It’s not my feelings that should matter to you. It’s your daughter’s,” he retorts more vibrantly, “and as long as she’s happy that’s all that matters.”

“Of course!” Cory throws his hands up, “Riley’s happiness is my number one priority. Next to keeping Topanga happy. But they’re not the only ones. Look, I get it, Farkle. You just want to see Riley happy. She’s happy with Lucas.  As much as I hate to say it, he’s not such a bad guy and you wouldn’t get in the way of that. But—“

He pauses, testing the waters. Farkle’s calmed some, not much, but he takes the chance.

“I’ve watched you grow up. You may love them both the same and in the same way at one time. But that changed, didn’t it? You love Riley.”

Cory watches as the boy’s eyes flicker to him, fearful, before dragging themselves back to some point far away. It was all the indication Cory needed to know he’d hit the nail on the head. He’d known since class so long ago. When the two finally had realized what they really were for each other and he thought this kid might actually cause a real problem. Then, somehow, he became the quiet wallflower merely watching—He almost couldn’t bear to watch that.

“So… Don’t you think it’s time you did something about it?”

Farkle bit his lip.  He only refocuses when he realizes a sudden stickiness on his fingers. His fingers had carved tiny holes into the cup and It was now leaking on him and the carpet. Giving a soft yelp he rushed to the kitchen, tossing the cocoa in the sink before trying to clean up the mess he made. He remained dutifully quiet, hoping the older man won’t remember what they were talking about in the quick work they were doing.

Of course, hope is never a good thing.

“Farkle,” the man says as he throws away the rest of a wad of napkins and it’s all that needs to be said. Farkle’s frame tightens and he lets out a breath, “No, sir. I would lose her if I did, I’m happy like this.”

Cory turns to the boy, still busy rubbing at his fingers. No, he’s not a boy anymore. He’s a young man. How had he missed it? This scraggly looking thing was no mere child who came to play with his daughter, he was an intelligent young man who was a suiter for her heart. A suiter that would not contest with his best friend.

The man tries to think of something to say, but the words don’t come. The young man continues to avoid his look and make the spot he’d gotten hot chocolate on even cleaner than it was before.

“Huh,” someone yawns as they exist a room, rubbing at blurry eyes, “Dad…? Farkle…? What are you doing here?”

Farkle beats Cory to the punch as he straightens up. Blue eyes brightening as he sheepishly goes to explain things. “How about I go get you another one since your dad here is a pig?” He finishes up which earns a laugh from her. Cory was all for yelling back and demanding another one for being such a poor sport, but his voice is lost at the way Farkle looks at his daughter.

She’s the only thing in the room, the young man wouldn’t even notice if he said something. His daughter’s eyes were bright and excited at the mention of the chocolatey beverage. “How about I go with you?” Riley practically bounces, pulling on the over-sized shirt Farkle has on. He laughs, “You just want another snow adventure.” “Of course I do,” she huffs proudly, “the Riley-and-Farkle-go-out-for-hot-chocolate-and-get-lost is a time honored tradition.”

He can’t stop grinning at her, but gives a relenting nod, “As you wish. But you should get dressed first.”

She nods happily and runs off to her room. In her wake a boy stands there with a familiar smile and a father slack-jawed in shock.

This dumb kid was really going to put himself through hell for a girl he would never have.

 

…For once, Cory Matthews found he was rooting for a Minkus to steal the heart of a Matthews.

 


End file.
